Everton defender and former Norwich City standout, Ben Godfrey, has made the switch to the Serie A, joining Atalanta on a multi-year deal, according to the club’s official website.
The versatile defender somewhat fell out of favour at Goodison Park last term, making just 15 appearances, though was included in every matchday squad. He’d struggle to get a look in at centre-back due to the strong partnership formed by Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski and would play the majority of his minutes down the right hand side.
That said partnership could’ve had an impact on the decision to sell this summer and now 26, Godfrey will be wanting first team minutes. A former England international, with two caps in 2021, it’s fair to say that the defender hasn’t quite reached the heights that Everton first though he would when joining.
He’d be an expensive pickup by the Toffees in 2020, as they’d pay £25 million to acquire his services from Norwich City. During his spell with the Canaries, Godfrey would become one of the club’s standout performers. And would be a part of the squad who gained promotion to the top flight in the 2018/19 season.
He’d go onto make 30 appearances in the Premier League for the East-Anglian side prior to signing for the Toffees in 2020. That sale would significantly add to the club’s transfer budget, and although it perhaps wasn’t spent in the best of ways, it was a substantial amount at the time.
The sale represented a great piece of business by the Canaries, who’d pick him up from York City way back in 2016 for a six-figure fee plus add-ons.
It is an important move in Godfrey’s career after struggling for minutes over the last two seasons. He is however in good company at Atalanta and is joining a club who will be playing in the Champions League next term following their fourth-placed finish in the Serie A last season.
Now entering his prime years, Godfrey must re-find some form if he wants to make an impact in Italy, and justify his hefty £10 million price tag.
Writer’s View
Godfrey will be fondly remembered by Norwich fans and he’d earned the club a very decent fee when he was sold back in 2020. Although they didn’t exactly use that money too well, only spending one season in the top flight since then, they have established themselves as a top Championship side.
They’ll be hoping to gain promotion to the top flight next term in what looks like to be somewhat of a open second tier. They’ll have to improve but their sixth place finish last season offers something to build on. New manager Johannes Hoff Thorup will have a fair bit of pressure on him, but he could be the man to take them back to the Premier League.